Traditional country, folk and bluegrass music is alive and thriving at The Freight!

The Bluegrass/Country Jam is one of the longest-running jam sessions in the Bay Area, and this popular monthly drop-in jam is a great way to begin playing and singing traditional bluegrass and country songs at comfortable tempos in a supportive, fun, and relaxed setting.

Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome! It’s the perfect environment to deepen and broaden your song list through playing and singing the great repertoire of country and bluegrass songs, while the simple rules of jam etiquette create a safe environment for everyone.

The beautiful melodies, harmonies and simple chord patterns are easy to play and learn by ear, and with the support of a friendly circle of jammers, you’ll become part of the now-vast community of folks who have made the wonderful tradition of jamming a part of their musical life!

This is a jam for traditional acoustic string band instruments: voice, guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dobro and upright bass. You should be able to play basic chords smoothly on your instrument. Players are welcome to bring tape recorders and songbooks. Guitar and banjo players should bring a capo!

Testimonials:

• Thanks for leading the group with your patience and humor. I've learned a lot, become more comfortable playing with others, and have greatly expanded my list of songs/tunes.
• Thanks for your ongoing patience with those of us who continue to put the "slow" in "slow jam!"
• You were so patient, helpful, and friendly yesterday and I can't thank you enough! You will definitely be seeing more of me now that I've found your jams.
• I really enjoyed the jam - it's a great way to learn. As you can probably tell, I've done most of my playing at home, solo, so the jamming etiquette is new to me.

Richard Brandenburg has been a performing singer and songwriter around the Bay Area for many years, and has led the Freight Country/Bluegrass Jam for the past decade.  He has taught vocals, guitar, songwriting, and country repertoire at various music camps. He teaches private students and teaches lead and harmony vocal workshops, as well as an ongoing Invitational Jam Workshop at his home in San Francisco.